Axle-bearing for vehicles



{No Model.)

o. J. rolzslvmlv.4 AXLE BFARING FOR VEHICLES.

Patented J an. 9, 1883;,

Rs. PhnlaLilhugmplwr. wnhnglon. D4 C.

Unirse STATES PATENT Querce.

VCALVIN J. FoRsMAN, 0F COLUMBUS, onto.

AXLEBERING FOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 270,214, dated January 9, 1883.

Application filed November 14, 1882.

(No model.)

of Ohio, have in vented cer'tain new and useful' Improvements inV Axle-Bearings for Vehicle- Wheels, `of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to improvements in anti-friction bearings for bicycles and other wheels; and the objects of my improvements are to provide bearin gs capable of adjustment to compensate for any wear of the bearing parts, and to make these parts and their joints as few as possible. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanyin g drawings,in which- Figure l represents a front view of a bicycle having my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of one of the axle-bearings. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a modification ot' the same, showing a screw-thread of a different form. Fig. 5 is a side view ot' the axle-bearings, showing the right and left hand threads cut upon their peripheries. Fig. 6 is a front view of the wrench used to adjust said hearings.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views. 7 ln the drawings, A represents thc axle, B the wheel-hub, and C the cranks, of a bicycle.

lEach crank is secured to one end ofthe axle by a key, c, or other suitable means,so that the two shall turn together. Within the periphery of theV axle, and adjoining the ends thereof, are cut V-shaped annular grooves A', to receive a row of small hardened steel balls, D, that areretained in position within said grooves by the bearing-boxes E and E', ad-

4o justably secured within a ring, F, attached to hand thread and thc other enda left-hand thread, the bearing-boxes E and E' having theirsurfacethreaded correspondingly. These vboxes have holes to receive small bolts g, by

which they are united and can be turned together, the holes in the box E being-screwthreaded to engage with the thread upon said bolts, while the holes in the box E' are left smooth. The right and left hand threads cut upon the periphery of the boxes E and E' may be ordinary thread, as shown in Fig. 3, or a ratchet-thread, as shown in Fig. 4. The

bearing-ring F is provided with an oil-hole, f2,

opposite the row of balls, and `this hole is closed by a springcap, f 3, secured to -said ring. To unite the wheel to its axle and bearings,

said wheel is laid dat upon its side, and the fork F', with its inner bearings, E, secured to the end thereof, is made to straddle the wheel. The axle is then passed through said bearings, and a series of hardened steel balls is introduced in the cavity1 of said bearing, between it and the groove iu the axle. The bearing E', is then screwed until nearly brought to a bearin g over said balls. The bolts g are then used to connect the bearings E and E', said bearings are rotated together, andi their right and left hand threads bring them to bear uniformly on both sides of the balls.

g is then given a portion of a turn' to'rigidly l clamp the bearing-surfaces of the thread (upon the periphery ot' the bearings E E') against theinternal thread of the ring F. The operation is repeated for the opposite end ofthe axle, and the, cranks are .then secured to the ends thereof.

l am aware that various forms of 4ball-bean ings have been used, and that they have been constructed so as to be adjustable for wear by having the bearing-box made in two parts adapted to approachl each other, and l do not claim', broadly, adjustable ballbearin gs.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of the axle provided with annular grooves A', with bearings E and E', provided with annular recesses, and bolts g, uniting said bearings, with a series'ot balls adapted to rest within .the annular groove of 9 5 IOO Each bolt tlireadsupon their peripheries, and annular rel bearings E andv Ef, having their peripheries cesses, and a series of balls adapted to enter provided with a right and a. left hand screw, 1o the grooves upon the axle, substantially as and connecting-boltsg,substantiallyas and for and for the purpose described. the purpose described.

3. The combination of a bicycle-fork having CALVIN J. FORSMAN.

its cylindrical ends screw=threaded internally, and the axle provided with annular grooves, .with a series of balls entering' said grooves,

Witnesses:

C. C. SHEPHERD, S. T. NEEDELS. 

